sight picture? Input requested (ie; HELP)

[riarcher]

Took the Pedersoli Bess to the range again yesterday. Kept hitting way low (again). Kept lowering the breach or raising my eye depending on how you look at it. No matter what, either low or a miss!
Finally got smart and brought the target to 15 yds. :: and decided I'd stay there until I put one (somewhere) above center. Took a few shots to do it, and found that while I thought I was overcompensating and actually shooting high & over the target, I was actually still very low.
Anyways, with elbows resting on the table I finally got one 1" above the "X"! However, the stock was resting just under my teeth on my lower jaw (while feeling I was "keeping my head up"). After the shot I regained my sight picture and with my finger resting on the frizzen, it appears that if I was to have a rear sight, it would have to be at least a 1/2" high over the breach end! ::
Now not-fer-nothing, but since the barrel is tapered and my front blade is about 1/4"(?) high. This seems awfully,,,, "out-of-sorts"(?). :what:
I fully expected the stock to be more like at the bottom of my cheek bone, not the jaw bone.(PS; Gotta big head so that ain't it! :crackup
Where do you guys "anchor" on the stock for consistant head positioning?
Is this normal or do I have a problem here??????? :redface:

 

[No Deer]

Hmmm... I don't shoot a bess, but that seems like kind of a low anchor point to me. My smoothie (french fusil) I hold just at the bottom of my cheek bone and look right down the barrel. If you have to hold it that low for 15 yds, it must be down to your adams apple for 50 yds. :crackup:

 

[riarcher]

Something doesn't seem right does it?
Not that the load was light with 70gr. 3Fg .715 and pillow tick. Straight edged the barrel (all around) and it appears straight.
I'm confused. ::

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I hold my fowler with the comb under my cheek bone. This puts the ball on target at 60 yards without holdover or any form of sighting compensation.

70 grains in an 11 bore musket is a light load--maybe too light. I use a three dram charge in my 20 bore fowler and could go heavier if I wanted. You are launching a ball weighing nearly twice as much as my little 20 gauge and with less powder. I haven't had a Bess for a long time now, but my basic load was 4 drams(110grs.) and it was very accurate at 50 yards. Besses make nice, if slightly heavy shotguns, too. That old smoothbore versatility again. I always used a .730 ball with .010 patching. A loose ball in a smoothbore is like a bowling ball bouncing down the alley--you never can be sure where it's going to wind up.

 

[big bore 75]

Riarcher lets see if I can help, ok my bess starts out with a 70 grain chagre of 2fg and pillow ticking patch and .715 ball for my bess its a nice charge and prints at 25 with a 3" group then I site down the barrelresting my cheek bone ontop of comb with chin resting on that cut out
on stock then looking at front site and rear site and squeeze trigger I use 4fg as a primmer in pan the ignition is as instatanious as a flint can get, one thing that could be happening is even though you have your elbows on your bench you could be pulling the muzzle down, another trick is too plase the fore stock on a sand bag and rest your left hand under your butt plate and site down barrel like you normally do and squeeze your hits on target should improve if you would like contact me by pm and i''l give yo my number I sure hope we can get you on track. bb75

 

[arcticap]

I've found that when I sight in a rifle from a benchrest position the bullet point of impact is not always the same as when I shoot the same rifle from the standing (or offhand) position. Not only is the head & eye angle different, but the shoulder/buttstock position is different.
I would try to shoot the rifle while standing and re-reference your front sight as necessary while shooting your preferred load in order to obtain the desired result. If all seems lost, it may be possible to install an adjustable Morgan style buttplate or tang (ladder) sight.

 

[mike alexandre]

I think part of your problem is sitting down with the musket, the Bess is made to shoot off hand. I shoot mine with a .720 ball and .020 pillow tick patch with moose snot. 90 g of TPPH and something fine in the pan for 50yds. No sights needed, just shoot it like a shotgun. You can move your head backwards or forwards along the comb to get a sight picture straight down the barrel. :imo:

 

[riarcher]

BB-75,
You have a "Muzzleloading Forum Message". :thumbsup:
Others, thanks, I'll check into all the suggestions ,,,, soon.
I find it hard to believe that benchresting, light loads, and the such would effect me that much at only 15 yds.
In truth, this is a follow up to a prior post.
At 25 yds. I'm getting a consistant egg shaped 4"X 2 1/2" group with my cheek bone resting on the comb of the stock.
Problem is, at 25yds they all hit in the lower right hand corner of a 100 yd. target (7+/-" low). In order to get acceptable elevation I need to use my lower jaw as an anchor. I'm concerned that I may not be able to be consistant enough with this to be effective around 50 yds.
Really not worried about load developement until I find a consistant hold,,,, although, I am going to try a heavier load just to see. One never knows if one don't try. I do think though that a tighter combination may be required with a stiffer load / or a better lube or both.
I willbe trying all the suggestions. (especially "MORE POWER!" :
Thanks.
Gary